Music is in the Blood
by Alice J. Nightshade
Summary: After the Dark War, and at Jules' assistance, Emma tries to learn to play the violin like her father, even though playing is the last thing she thinks she should do. At least, until certain violin player offers her help. Between them, Jem and Emma learn that the music is in their blood, and that history has a funny way of repeating itself. OneShot


**So, after reading city of Heavenly Fire, I thought that Jem and Emma could use a cute little moment and why not bond over the violin. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. **

Emma thought that the violin was the most stupid instrument in the whole world.

She stood in the middle of the room with it now, wood against her collarbone, bow in her left hand and sawed at the strings, making an ungodly screeching noise.

_Good_, she thought with a bitter smile.

It hadn't been her idea to learn to play the violin. In fact, it was Jules'. Ever since they'd returned from Idris Emma had thrown herself into training. Her hands were red and callused from the amount of times she'd practiced throwing knives and her body was coated with bruises. After a while she decided that she'd use an Iratze at the end of the day instead of after each session. Finally, about a week ago Jules grabbed Emma by the arm and sat her down in front of him.

"You can't be my Parabatai if you work yourself to death." He told her, looking oddly serious for a twelve year old. "You need to do something besides train, Emma."

So, that's how Emma found herself back in her room with her father's old violin. She'd only gone back to her house a handful times in the few weeks she'd been at the Institute. Once to get her clothes and other things she'd need in her new home, afew times for things like a weapon she needed or a photo of her parents. And for her father's violin.

"He'd been trying to teach you how to play right?" Jules asked. "Why don't you keep at it?"

Well, the word Jules forgot from that sentence was _trying_. Emma had no talent for the instrument at all. She could barely stand still to practice it, let alone play something.

Emma winced as she hit another sour note and lowered her bow. She didn't even know why she was bothering. She wanted to train, not play music.

"It's supposed to be your E string," A voice behind her said, startling Emma. "Not your A."

"I know," Emma groaned, turning toward the voice where Brother Zachariah, no Jem, she had to remind herself, stood with a small smile.

No matter how many times she'd seen him, which was a couple of times now, she could never get over the fact of how he'd changed so much. He'd always been a bit different from all the other Silent Brothers, but now he was a full shadow hunter again. It was weird.

"I didn't know you played the violin," Jem said, taking a hesitant step into her room. He'd visited the Los Angeles Institute a few times now, but he'd never been in her room. It wasn't very special anyway. Just a few photos of her family and Jules, her clothes and her weapons. Not like her old room.

"I don't." Emma said throwing her bow on the bed and dropping her violin next to it a bit more carefully and sat down on its edge, crossing her arms over her chest. "My father did."

"It's lovely." He said, walking over to the instrument. He stroked the base of it with the tips of his fingers, almost like he was afraid it would break in his hands and he shook his head. "Where's your teacher?"

Emma shrugged. "I don't have one."

"Then how will you learn to play?" Jem asked, shaking his head.

"My father was my teacher." Emma said, coldly. "I don't need another one. It's a dumb instrument anyway."

"Hm," Jem smiled. "I take it learning to play again wasn't your idea, then?"

"It was Jules'." Emma said, staring down at her hands. "He said that I should do something besides train."

"Jules is right." Jem said and sat down onto the bed on the other side of the instrument. "You know, I used to have a violin, like this one."

"You did?" Emma asked, her eyes widening. Even though she'd never ask, she'd been curious about what Silent Brother's lives were like before they changed, and Jem seemed to be the be the closest person to answer her questions.

"Mmhm," With sure fingers, he picked it up by its neck and ran his other fingers down the base and plucked the strings. "My father taught me to play too."

"He _tried_ to teach me," Emma clarified, dropping her arms with a sad smile, remembering how her father would play the sweetest songs for Emma when she refused to go to bed or when she was sick or just wanted to hear him play. "I wasn't very good. I liked listening to him play instead."

Jem nodded, looking down into Emma's deep brown eyes. "It's not all that hard. Come here."

He gestured her closer and after a moment of hesitation, Emma moved. She didn't trust a lot of people now, but for some reason, she trusted Jem just a little bit.

Slowly, he put his arms around her and placed the violin in her hand. "Now raise it up, that's right. And, take your bow and lightly go across the A string."

Emma did that, though her hand was a bit shaky and the sound came out small and cracked.

"Here," Jem said, taking her small hand in his as they curled over the bow. "Try again."

With a hand each on hers, Jem lead her through the first note, then another, until she was playing a whole song. It wasn't a very long one, but to Emma, playing anything was a miracle.

"See," He said, taking his hands away while she kept going. "You're a natural."

"I'm doing it," Emma laughed, her hands steady with each note. "I'm playing."

"Yes," Her laughter was contagious and soon he was laughing too.

"Thank you," Emma finished the last note and pulled the violin into her lap, oddly serious for only twelve years old. Having been through so much, it wasn't surprising that she'd grown up so fast. "For teaching me."

"You're welcome," Jem said with a small smile, adding a silently, but I wish I could do more.

"My dad used to say that music was in our blood." Emma admitted, staring down at the violin in her hands. "The Carstairs have been playing the violin for decades."

Jem was silent. He never knew that other Carstairs played the violin too, though he hadn't paid much attention to his family after he'd turned into a Silent Brother. "Really?"

Emma nodded. "My great, well a lot of greats, grandfather learned because he lost his brother. He didn't want to forget how his brother had played so beautifully so my grandfather learned to play and taught his children to because he didn't want them to forget either. Then they taught their children and so on and so on." Emma stopped and wiped at her face, scowling at the tears on her fingers. "Playing the violin, it was a way to remember all the lost Carstairs. Like his brother."

"And your parents," Jem whispered, without realizing.

Emma nodded, subconsciously reaching for the cut on her arm that she'd received when she'd clutched Cortana, the sword passed down through the Carstairs line.

"Sometimes, I still wake up and think that they're waiting for me at the Institute doors." Emma mumbled. "To take me home. But I know they're never coming back. And that I'm alone now."

Before she realized it, Jem was pulling the violin out of her hands and wrapping his arms around her shaking body. Emma hadn't been hugged by someone who wasn't a Blackthorn in a long time, but she found herself clinging onto Jem, sobs racking through her body as she cried, They stayed like that for a long time. Long enough that Emma felt a little better to be held and feel foolish that she'd cried in front of someone after she'd been strong for so long when Jem pulled away and stared into her eyes.

"You're not alone, Emma." He told her, and wished that he could tell her the truth. That he was a Carstairs too and that they were family, but knew she just wasn't ready. "You will never be alone. You have the Blackthorns who love you and you have me and Tessa and even Clary Fairchild and Jace Herondale, remember?"

Despite the tears running down her face, Emma smiled, remembering Jace giving her his first stele.

"You have a family," Jem continued. "And even though we aren't blood, we love you and we will always be there to protect you."

"Like you did during the Dark War." Emma whispered.

"Exactly like that." Jem said, and pushed away the blonde hair sticking to her face. "There's more to family then blood. I learned that when I lost my parents."

"You did?" Emma asked.

"Mmhm," Jem told her. "When they died, I went to go live in an Institute too, and that's where I met _my_ Parabaiti."

"Just like me and Jules," Emma said.

"Exactly." Jem agreed. "Though, we didn't meet on the best of terms. In fact, he suggested he use me for target practice."

Emma giggled, despite herself. "I thought Parabaiti are supposed to protect each other."

"Well, it wasn't love at first sight." Jem admitted, smiling fondly as he remembered Will. "He pushed away everyone, but I was the first person he let in. He was my best friend and my brother. And he was my family, like Jules is to you. Never forget that, Emma."

Emma nodded seriously, like it was a secret shared between them. "Thank you,"

"Of course," Jem smiled, pulling her in for another hug. "Everything's going to be alright,"

Emma nodded and finally, when she stopped shaking, she pulled away and wiped her face with her shirt sleeve. "Jem, can I ask you something."

Jem nodded without hesitation. "Of course,"

"What happened to him?" Emma asked and after a long pause. "I'm sorry, I was just curious and-"

"No, it's alright." Jem said, shaking his head. "He died. A long time ago when he was an old man in his bed."

"Were you there?" Emma asked. "Or were you a -"

"I was there," Jem said, his voice breaking and tears in his eyes. "I owed it to him to be there. When I became a Silent Brother, he was far away when our connection severed; for me. He said it nearly killed him and he was, is, my brother. I held his hand when he died and I played for him, on the violin. He saved it all those years."

Emma was quiet and then, she wrapped her arms around him, her tears mixing with his, because they both had lost their family.

"Jem?" Emma mumbled, pulling away and looking into his dark brown eyes.

Jem smiled affectionately down at her. "Yes, Emma?"

'Do you think…" She trailed off, dropping her eyes.

"What?" Jem asked.

"That you could teach me to play another song?"


End file.
